Eltham CC

Match Report

Match report Eltham CC Vs Morgan CC

After a washout the week before, the Eltham team arrived with the Weather Gods frowning upon them again. With many a weather forecast already having been been looked at (ranging from BBC to Sky and finally to Pete Fisher just looking out of his window) it did not look set fair for a glorious afternoon.

As the team sat in the bar waiting to see if the grey clouds would pass, Matt Bulpitt (not Bevan like I know you were all thinking) thought it was a good time for a early pint. The rain also gave Gary the chance to cheer on Blackpool in their play-off semi final 1st leg, thinking about how good a weekend away with West Ham that would be next season! After a couple of pitch inspections and an hour or so after the original start time a 20/20 was planned to be played.

But where was our opening bowler Tan? A phone call from the skipper to Tan brought the answer which surprised nobody - "I thought the game was on Sunday!" Good job he lives locally!

Pete won the toss and put Morgan into bat, and Tan arrived only to find he'd now forgotten his bowling boots! So it was up to Matt Bulpitt to open the bowling (Only fair since he'd been warming up since Tuesday - Ed) With Matt at his mark and right on cue the heavens opened again only for us hardy souls to stay out and get on with it.

Some good early bowling and very good fielding keep the score down, Matt then struck trapping the opener in front, Ricky was bowling really well from the other end in the difficult conditions and got his reward with John Fisher taking a great catch at square leg. Tan replaced Matt and Gary replaced Ricky, Gary, bowling seam-up medium pacers instead of his normal spin, struggled and the run rate increased and a target of near 200 was on the cards. Colin replaced Gary and had a lot better control and brought the run rate down.

Tan was then replaced by Pete Swain who took a wicket, Matt taking the catch. Colin finally got reward for some superb (The Cheque is in the post Gary - Ed) bowling and despite Morgan's number 3 making an unbeaten half century we managed to keep them down to a gettable 138.

So 139 to win and the pitch was starting to cut up a bit but Peter and Asjad got us off to a flyer going past 25 inside 3 overs. Asjad was then run out looking for a 2 down to 3rd man and was left when short in the middle of the pitch. Richard went in next and looked in good touch picking up singles and twos with Pete and keeping the scoreboard ticking over. Just when things were looking good Peter got one that keep low and his cover drive took the toe of his bat and cannoned into his stumps. With Eltham still in good shape we knew a couple of good middle order partnerships would see us home, but this was not meant to be as wickets started to tumble quickly. Richard was bowled, John walked when he tickled one to the keeper for 0 and then Gary was run out via a direct hit despite his desperate dive to get back.

With the skipper still at the crease all was not lost and when Matt joined him a home victory was still there for the taking. Pete and Matt kept the score ticking at aroung 5 an over until Matt hit one to the fielder in the deep who managed to hold on. Colin joined Pete and a partnership was building. Morgan then brought back their main bowlers who got the breakthrough bowling Pete and then getting Andy Redman first ball. Ricky kept out the hattrick ball but with the rate rising hit out and was caught for 0. Colin and Tan saw the innings out but we fell short appaently by 14 runs.

It was then up to the bar for a few beers and to watch England in 20/20 action vs South Africa. It was at this point that Andy discovered that the scorebook was wrong and that Morgan only made 127 so our 14 run defeat was now a 3 run loss. Good job Colin didn't get one more boundary!

Your reporter: Gary "Harbhajan" Bill